Loopie-pa- WHAT, you ask? Loopiepalooza. 2009, to be exact. Or 2nd annual.
Let me explain. Back in 2006, after I had Nicholas I joined some internet forums and 'loops' that were dedicated to boys clothing...specifically Gymboree and Janie and Jack brands. These loops were used to buy and sell our used clothing and talk about our kids. Soon some of us decided to just start a little group where we could discuss our lives outside of our kids. I mean, we were all people with lives BEFORE we became mommies! So, that started sometime in 2007. Anyway, last spring (March 2008, to be specific) a group of 10 of us got together and met up in Houston, Texas for a long weekend. We ate, shopped, ate, talked, and in case I didn't mention it- we ate some more! That was the first Loopiepalooza.
Well, this year, we did it again. However, we had 18 ladies this time. Again, we met in Houston from a Thursday until Sunday. Ladies drove and flew in from all corners of the country! Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Washington, California, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Georgia, and of course, Pennsylvania. A great time was had by all. Again...we spent our time eating, shopping, eating, talking, and eating some more! This group of ladies are AMAZING. We have a wide age group, come from various backgrounds, but our bond of friendship is one I am blessed to have.
Who sent the germs to my house?!?! Well, please take them back- we've had enough!!!
Last Monday night I arrived home from my vacation to Texas. (I promise to post about that next week!) Tuesday was Erik's birthday, Wednesday was a day to just kinda catch up on everything, Thursday I had to take Nicholas to preschool and run Erik to the doctor for his 12 month WBV, and then Friday was Nicholas' Halloween party at school. Then since Halloween was on Saturday I took the boys to Sesame Place for some trick-or-treating and some special quality time with mommy. On the ride home both boys fell asleep, which wasn't too odd, but then Nicholas continued to lay on the couch once we were home. He said he was tired and didn't feel well. After a trip to get more Motrin and a new thermometer I come home and discover he's got a fever close to 103. After a nap he felt better and his temperature went back to normal, so he did get dressed for trick-or-treating. He only hit half the block before he was ready to come home. UH OH...you KNOW if a three year old tells you he doesn't want to ToT that something is up. Fast forward to Monday morning...a trip to the doctor revealed strep throat. After about 48 hours on the antibiotics he was feeling much better.
And then comes hit number two. Today right before lunch I was changing Erik's diaper and he felt warm. Slight fever and a rash all over his abdomen, chest, and back. He's had some loose stools for a few days, which didn't bother me, but now the fever and rash had be calling the doctor. No strep for him, just a virus. However tonight he woke up after about 2 hours sleep and was just crying. He layed down with Ken and then he vomited. I felt bad for Ken, but in a way I was glad it wasn't me...I don't deal well with puke!
So, in the past week I've been to the pediatrician three times. I think I've met my quota for the season. Tomorrow I will be investing in some more Lysol and disinfecting this house!!!
A year has come and gone, and how fast it has passed! A year ago today, at 5:10 PM I gave birth to Erik Joseph, via emergency cesarean section. At first look it seemed that Erik was a clone of his big brother, but today we see he has developed his own look, and personality!
Erik has been a great sleeper since day one. He slept through the night (seven hours) at one month old. Today he sleeps eleven or twelve hours at night and naps two or three times a day. He really enjoys his sleep!
Erik now has eight teeth- four on top, four on bottom. He uses those teeth to feed his growing appetite. While he is not a picky eater he certainly prefers meats over vegetables.
While pregnant with Erik his nickname was 'Pumpkin,' but now Chatterbox might be more appropriate. He has quite the impressive vocabulary- around 15 words. He even has 2, two-word phrases- "Hi, Dad!" and "Touch that." He babbles plenty still, and I love to listen to it!
Erik not only walks, but he runs and climbs! I have a feeling that he will be my escape artist! I guess it is because he has his big brother to catch up with! I really enjoy watching the two of them interact. You can already see the bond between them, and that they are the best of friends!
It has been an amazing year watching Erik grow and learn. I look forward to all the years ahead! Happy birthday, Erik! Mommy loves you!
We celebrated Erik's first birthday party this past Saturday with family and friends! Despite some yucky weather (cold, rainy, & windy) we all had a good time! Erik was loving having everyone over (Nicholas was a bit overwhelmed at his first birthday party) and spent most of the day walking around and playing with the other kids. He did not make much a mess of his cake...mommy was a bit sad about that! He got some great gifts and has been enjoying his new toys quite a bit! Hopefully I can post pictures soon!
In other news, I'm headed to Texas on Wednesday! A much needed mommy vacation! I can't wait to hang out with friends, eat lots of good food, and maybe catch up on some sleep!
I can't believe how quickly the past eleven months have flown by. This past month Erik has just grown by leaps and bounds! He is now walking. Not 100% of the time, but he can easily walk across the room without assistance. He has six teeth now- three on top, three on bottom. His vocabulary is pretty impressive (to me at least)- he says mama, dada, cat, dog, glasses (as in sunglasses), up, yes, what, and 'lis' which is in reference to Nicholas. He definitely has a sense of humor and a devilish streak in his personality. Oh, and he has a head full of hair that is starting to curl at the end. Nicholas' did the same thing, but as soon as we cut it the curls never came back. Oh, Erik is also still an excellent sleeper. Twelve to thirteen hours at night and 2-3 naps a day! Some days he sleeps as much as a newborn! Now we are preparing for his big birthday celebration in a few weeks. It has been an amazing eleven months so far!
I can't believe it is September already? It seems the older I get, the faster time flies by! This weekend is Labor Day weekend, the unofficial end to summer. We will be going to a BBQ on Saturday and a crab feast on Sunday, so we'll be wrapping up this summer season with some good food and good friends.
We did not take any vacation this summer. Ken and I only made it down the shore for one weekend, but the boys did get to go a few times with Opa and Nana. We've just had lots going on! And this fall is looking busy as well- birthday parties (including Erik's FIRST birthday), bridal showers, weddings, and of course trips to the pumpkin patch. I love fall- it is by far my most favorite season. I love waking up to cool, crisp weather- throwing on a pair of jeans, a warm sweater, and comfy boots. I love the apples that are in season...eating warm, homemade apple pie (made by my husband, NOT me), delicious pumpkin pie (this one *I* make), and all the other delicious treats.
So, although summer is coming to an end I am looking forward to the changing colors and cooler weather that fall will bring. This week Mother Nature seems to have realized that September is here- we already have cooler temps that have allowed me to turn off the air conditioning and open my windows. It is WONDERFUL!
Well, ten months have come and passed! Erik is growing bigger every day! And I'm falling more and more in love with him every day!
As of his doctor's appointment last week he is 22 pounds 11 ounces and 30.25"- a BIG boy! In this past month he has gotten a new tooth (on Sunday the 23rd, his bottom right lateral incisor), he waves, he claps, will do SO BIG, and has a few times taken 1-2 steps. Despite these few steps he much rather crawl!
Erik is starting to enjoy more table foods and especially likes chicken and mixed vegetables. Oh, and courtesy of his older brother he has also sampled (and loved) french fries! He really likes almost every thing he's tried though, which is good...there are no picky eaters in this house!
Since I haven't shared any new pictures in awhile, here are a few of my cutie pie!
I know...I'm SUCH a slacker! I'm trying NOT to give up on my 365 blog, but it is getting harder and harder to maintain. I'm hoping that I can get a few hours of time to catch up on the past 6 weeks. I don't know if I've even taken pictures every day, but if not...I will figure something out!
Today was Erik's 9 month well baby visit. He's now 22 pounds 11 ounces and 30 1/4" long. BIG BOY INDEED! His 9 months stats are bigger than Nicholas', but Nicholas didn't grow much from 6 months to 9 months, and then from 9 months to a year he gained 4 pounds! So who knows how Erik will grow. He seems to be just steady, although he is 95 percentile for height and 85 percentile for weight.
This weekend is a busy weekend for us. Tomorrow my nephew Michael turns ONE! I can't believe it has been a year already! Saturday is our annual block party. They're calling for rain and flooding (ACK...no FUN!) but I hope it holds off. And then Sunday is Michael's first birthday party. And next week we have friends coming into town from Wisconsin so it will be a busy weekend next weekend as well!
Hopefully once summer is done I can dedicate more time to updating everything!
I'm here! I have not fallen off the face of the planet, I promise! Summer is just a busy time around here, and I have not updated my blog. (Even worse, I'm about a month behind updating my 365 blog! Maybe I'll work on that, too!) This summer has been full of birthday parties, bridal showers, baptisms, and a million other day-to-day activities!
Around here we have been SO busy that we've only made one trip down to the Jersey Shore as a family. This weekend Nicholas is down there with Opa & Nana, but the rest of us are here at home. Ken is taking our pool down, while I work on ebay listings, and Erik...well, he will hang out and do his Erik thing. Which lately, because he is teething, is not much more that eating and sleeping. He's not a terrible teether- he just wants to eat and sleep. So he's taking about three naps a day and sleeping 12 hours at night. I can't really complain!
So, as I mentioned, Ken is taking our pool down. You may ask...taking a pool down, in the middle of summer? Are you crazy? Well, yes, I am crazy- but for many other reasons! Anyway, we're taking our pool down because it takes up the entire backyard. Our yard is about the size of a postage stamp, or an above ground pool! Since we live in the city, and on a fairly busy street, it isn't safe for the boys to play out front. Not to mention our front yard is pretty much non-existant. The kids in the neighborhood play in the driveways and on the sidewalk, but there is no place for a swingset or play structure. So we are taking the pool down so we have a yard for the boys to play in. It is entirely fenced in, so it will be a safe place for them to play. I cannot wait!
Well, that is just a bit of what is going on here. We have a wedding next week, followed by a bridal shower, and the following weekend brings two block parties and a birthday party. I think our weekend calendar is booked through January!
Can I PLEASE stop time? We are creeping FAR too close to the one year mark, and I don't want my little man to turn one!
Ok, I suppose it won't be THAT horrible, but it does make me a tad bit sad!
So, this month has been full of new adventures. I have myself a climber. Erik climbs on E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G! Really, he is TOO smart. He moves boxes and books and anything else he can find so he can climb to where he shouldn't be. And on several occasions he has given mommy quite a scare! Of course, he just smiles and laughs as if it is no big deal!
He is not walking yet, but crawls faster than the speed of light (ok, maybe not THAT fast, but he is quick) and cruises all along the furniture with ease. He will stand alone and it looks as if he is contemplating taking a step, but at this point we have nothing.
Erik has a few words- Mama, Dada, and something that sounds like a cross between Baba and Bop. Often you just hear him babbling or squealing with delight. He is still very much a happy, laid-back guy.
Erik is also enjoying some new foods. He loves eating bits of fruit and veggies and also small ditalini pasta. I still laugh every time he takes a first bite of food though, because he makes a face as if it is the most disgusting thing ever, and then he proceeds to gobble it all up!
For this week's NMM the focus is on the kids, and all they crazy things they have not done!
So (after you read all about my kids) head on over to MckMama's blog and check out what her MSC aren't up to, along with everyone elses kids!
On Friday, while eating dinner, Nicholas was NOT caught trying to blow raspberries/spit at the table, and in response to that he definitely did NOT try to explain it by saying, "But Daddy tells me if I have words stuck in my mouth to just spit it out!" Yes, I definitely did NOT get outwitted (yet, again) by my three year old.
And my darling eight month old Erik definitely did NOT pull out a box of books to climb upon in order to bang on my TV. That is something a much older TODDLER would do, not my LITTLE guy! And a few days later he most certainly did not push another box next to his toybox in order to use it to climb up on the toybox to get to Nicholas' toys on the windowsill that he isn't allowed to have! Nope, NOT Erik!
Welcome to Not Me! Monday, the blog carnival created by McKMama where we can share all of the embarrasing things we have done! Head over to her blog where you can read about what everyone else has NOT done!
First, I most certainly DID NOT turn thirty yesterday. Nope, I simply celebrated the first anniversary of my twenty-ninth birthday. Yup, my mom and I are the same age!
I also did NOT let my eight month old eat half the sand on the beach when we went down the shore last weekend, which definitely did NOT result in me changing sandcastle filled diapers. I mean, what kind of mother would allow their child to eat fistfuls of sand? Not me!
And because I was heading to my parents' house in MD for the holiday weekend, I assure you I did NOT wait until 9:00 Friday morning to start packing, when in fact we were supposed to be leaving the house at 9:00. Nope, not me! I am far more prepared than that and would have had the bags packed the night before in preparation for the trip.
Honestly, I know some of my friends we dreading the big 3-0. I wasn't. In fact, I was actually kinda looking forward to it. I survived another year, and I am grateful.
Today was a relaxing day. Hung out at my parents house with Mom & Dad, Ken, Nicholas, and Erik, and my cousin Jonathan who I haven't seen in six years. I got to take a nice nap, we played some dominoes, ate some good grub, and just had a good time. On Friday night I had gone out with some friends...had a REALLY good time, and we'll just leave it at that!
On Saturday is the big birthday extravaganza. My best friend and I will be having a girls only party to celebrate our birthdays. For the record...she's older than me by 4 days. I don't let her forget it! The party should be a great time!
Anyway- here's to my next thirty years! May they be even better than the first thirty!
Wow, I guess I should have seen it coming, but Erik is ALL over the place now! Not only is he crawling (at top speeds, mind you) but he's also pulling up on furniture, cruising along furniture, and *gasp* STANDING ALONE! Yes, just last week his brother was holding him up, and in typical three year old fashion- LET GO, and voila...Erik was standing there. By himself. For about 5 seconds. It seemed like an eternity to me, since I was across the room and was certain he was going to face plant into the floor. Alas, he did not. I, however got rugburn on my knees trying to reach him, as he gracefully lowered himself to his knees, and then hands, and quietly crawled away. People tell me he will be walking by 9 months. I pretend that I don't hear them. He's my LITTLE GUY...he is not allowed to walk yet. I won't let him!
Two more teeth have also appeared. One last Saturday, and another yesterday. Both his top front teeth, so the total is at four. These top teeth were a bit rough on him. He was cranky and woke up in the middle of the night a few times. Hopefully the rest will come in smoothly.
Well, we will see if next month I have a walker on my hands. Doesn't he know that there is NO rush to grow up?!?!
Well, it has been a year since Nicholas gave up his Nuk. (Pacifier, Binky, or whatever other term you may use.)
Nicholas was HOOKED on his Nuk. It was his comfort item, without a doubt. Towards the end he was mainly using it at naptime, bedtime, or in the car. However, if he found one he'd often just pop it in his mouth. Ken and I decided once Nicholas turned two we'd get rid of the Nuk. However, two weeks after Nicholas' 2nd birthday we were headed to Walt Disney World, and the thought of traveling (by train and plane) and being in an unfamiliar place would be a bit stressful without his comfort item.
Well, he proved us wrong!
We were leaving for Florida on a Saturday, and the Monday before Nicholas gave up his beloved Nuk- cold turkey. Ok, so the truth is it fell out while he was playing and he couldn't find it, and I told him I wasn't looking for it for him. Mean mommy (hey- I *was* pregnant at the time), but he really didn't protest much! The next day he found it (hidden behind the couch) and I simply took it, and we never turned back!
I did hate that so many pictures I tried to take of Nicholas were 'tainted' by him having his Nuk in his mouth, but I knew it wouldn't be forever. This is the last picture I have of him with his Nuk-
This has been a busy month for Erik! He is now MOBILE! At the beginning of the month he was just rolling all over the room, and that got him where he needed to be. Then about two weeks ago he started the army crawl. Now he is doing a combination of army crawl, inchworm, and then a little bit of regular crawling. And of course he is in to EVERYTHING! When we're in the basement he loves to crawl under my desk to try to get at the computer cords. He's bumped his head on the chair MANY times, and yet he still attacks! And now that he is on the move he does not want to sit in his Jumperoo or Exersaucer for long!
Now that Erik can move more I think Nicholas is enjoying having a little brother. The two of them will sit and play with toys, and I've been able to bring a few new toys out that have been in storage. I don't know that our house is big enough for all of this stuff! I do enjoy watching my boys play, and I can already see that they are going to be the best of friends!
Have you ever done (or not done) something, and think...wow, that couldn't have really happened? Believe me, you're not alone! That's what Not Me! Monday is all about! It's a blog carnival started by MckMama, and you can head over to her blog to read what she (and others) are NOT doing!
Well, let's just say that I did NOT have a crazy day yesterday. I mean, Sundays are meant to rest, spend time with family, and do some cleaning around here. So when I went to go put a Christmas decoration away (that I most certainly DID NOT leave out until 5 months after Christmas) in our storage room I was NOT greeted by water leaking from one of the pipes- mere inches away from all of Nicholas' birthday party supplies! Nope, NOT ME! And while Ken was getting ready to walk out the door to get the part needed to repair the leak the power on our block DID NOT go out. And it certainly was NOT almost 90 degrees and quite humid! And later that evening we certainly DID NOT discover that the fan and light fixture in our bedroom was broken. Nope! All of those crazy things could NOT possibly happen to us in a mere six hours!
Also, throughout the week I certainly did NOT do anything that would be worthy of posting here on NMM, and then I forgot to write it down to remember. I mean, I have an impeccable memory and would certainly remember everything I'd want to write, right?
But on a final note- I definitely, can NOT be the mother of a THREE YEAR OLD! It can NOT possibly be Nicholas' third birthday today. It certainly can NOT be three years since I became a mother. No, I will NOT believe it! And I definitely do NOT get all teary eyed thinking about the day he was born. Nope, NOT ME!
Three years ago today I became a mother. Just two days before my due date I went into labor, and at 3:46pm I gave birth to my first son, Nicholas Kenneth. In the past three years I've watched you go from a smiling, giggly baby to the goofy little boy you are today. You are definitely a comedian- you are always trying (and are usually successful) to make us laugh. This past year you also became a big brother- and you are a wonderful, caring, and loving big brother. And of course, you can always get Erik to laugh!
You definitely love your sports. You love watching the games on TV, and in the fall you know that Sundays are football days. (And you sing along with the commercial- "Feelin' kinda Sunday...") You enjoyed watching AND going to the Phillies games, and I love hearing you scream HOME RUN! And this year Daddy brought you the Wings games to watch lacrosse. He tells me you sit there with your box of popcorn (your latest favorite snack) and would watch and cheer. And of course you love playing your sports, too. You love to play baseball most of all lately- whether you're just playing catch or hitting the ball. And you're already doing a great job of hitting a ball pitched to you.
There are so many other things you enjoy- you've learned how to ride your tricycle, you love putting puzzles together, and of course you love to play! In the summer you love going on the water slide at Grandmother and Grandfather's house, you love to bounce on the moon bounce at Nana and Opa's, and you will take any opportunity to go to the playground or play outside.
It has been such a wonderful three years watching you grow, learn, and discover. I can't wait to see what this year brings! Mommy loves you, Nicholas. Happy third birthday!
Well, this weekend is Memorial Day weekend- the unofficial start of summer. I know in the summer I am often trying to find things to do to keep us occupied. Especially on those super HOT days when being outside for long is not an option.
Last year I discovered that several of our local movie theatres had FREE or CHEAP kids movies. Yes, I said FREE! Can you really beat that price? Yes, the movies are not new releases, but most kids don't realize (or care) and they will watch the same movie over and over AND OVER again, right? (No, this is NOT coming from someone who has seen Cars more times than she can count!) Anyway, in my area the two main theatre companies that offer these movie programs are AMC and Regal.
AMC has the Summer Movie Camp, which has $1 movies on Wednesday mornings at 10 AM. They also have $3 Kids Packs which have a kid-sized drink, popcorn, and snack. All admission and concession proceeds go to charity- so you get cheap entertainment and contribute to a good cause!
Regal Entertainment Group has the Free Family Film Festival, which as the title says, is FREE, on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, also at 10 AM. Can't beat that price tag!
I've searched and found a few other theatre companies that are also offering various summer movie programs, including Cinemark and Rave Motion Pictures. Hopefully you can find a theatre near you and can enjoy a FREE (or cheap) movie with your kids this summer!
So, Erik actually turned 6 months about three weeks ago, but we took him this morning for his 6 month WBV. Growing big and strong! He's 19 pounds 11 ounces and is 27 1/2" long. In the 90th percentile for height and weight, but not quite as big as his older brother was.
It was a pretty uneventful visit- in and out in under 30 minutes! He doesn't go back until August for his 9 month appointment.
I promise...I have not abandoned my blog! However, it is a crazy, busy time of year here! Nicholas turns three at the end of the month...birthday party planning is in FULL SWING! He's asked to have a 'Super Hero' party- aka, Spiderman, Wolverine, the Hulk, and all the other Marvel superheroes. So, invitations have been sent and we're working on the menu.
At the end of the month my aunt & uncle are coming out to visit from MN. They're flying into BWI to visit with my parents and I know at some point will come up to see us here. They haven't seen Nicholas since he was 14 months old and they will get to meet Erik for the first time. It will be nice to have them here for Nicholas' party and to celebrate Ken's birthday as well.
Erik is also on the move now. He's been rolling all over the place for a few weeks now and this morning he started to Army crawl. I'm sure within a few weeks he'll be all over the place and crawling on all hands and knees.
Our schedule is getting filled ever so quickly. Birthday parties, bridal showers, baptisms, weddings, concerts... We haven't even picked a week for vacation yet!
So, that's what's going on around here. I hope to keep this updated (as well as my 365 blog, which needs to be updated in a BIG way!)
Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week. We're glad Stellan is home from the hospital, and MckMama is starting up NMM again!
Well, I must say I DEFINITELY did not send my lovely husband on a trip to Wisconsin (to visit friends) and play the role of a single mother for five days. Nope! And because I am quite capable of handling both boys alone I certainly DID NOT drop Ken off at the airport and immediately drive two hours south to my parents' house! NOT ME!
While at my parents we decided to take the boys to the National Zoo. Started with a 45 minute car ride to the Metro in which Nicholas was excited about riding on the train, but once we got there Nicholas was ADAMANT that he was not riding. So, I certainly DID NOT convince him that we weren't riding the train, but instead we were just going on a subway car, in order to get him to calm down. Nope, NOT ME!
A few days pass, Ken comes home, and things get back to normal. By normal, I mean our regular laid back days. And by laid back I mean I really did not drag both boys to the Philadelphia Zoo at 11:00 in the morning to meet up with some online friends, walk around the zoo for four hours, take the long and scenic route home (during rush hour) so both would get a good nap, only to arrive home to pick up Ken so we could head out to the Phillies game. I mean, our days are laid back, so NOT ME!
Oh, and once we arrived at the Phillies game I guarantee you that I DID NOT leave the tickets in the car and only realize it once we got to the stadium...several blocks away. NOT ME!
So, that's what has NOT been going on here in a nutshell. I hope you share what you have NOT been up to as well!
I'm Gisela...a 30-something SAHM from Philadelphia. I've been married to Ken for 5 years and we have two boys, Nicholas (born May 2006) and Erik (born October 2008). Besides spending time with the boys in my life I love to read, discover new food, and travel. I also have dreams of winning the lottery so I can travel to all the places I dream of!
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